Young Guns Team Embarks for Europe

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The annual Young guns tour kicks off in Europe come July. The Australian Sports Commission’s National Talent ID and Development has called upon the best of the best of Australia’s upcoming triathlon stars to meet the challenge overseas. Ten of Australia’s best athletes have been signed up for the tour.

Craig Redman, Manager of Triathlon Australia’s National Talent and Development expressed that the team will be competing in 2010 Under 23 world Championships in Budapest in September. “We have an exciting mix of talent in this year’s NTID Young Guns team with a number of newcomers, including Autralian Junior and under 23 champion Holly Aitken and the ever-improving Keira Pride,” said Redman. He further added that Jamie Huggett, Australian under 23 champion and under 23 Oceania Championship silver medalist Sam Betten will be heading the men’s squad.

The tour leaves on July 2 for the Australian Institute of Sport European Training Center in Varese, Italy. Over the European summer, some athletes will stay for the Triathlon Australia’s high performance camp which will give them the chance to race in the Dextro Energy Triathlon, a ITU World Championship Series.

Redman said, “The Young Guns will be exposed to high quality international racing at events such as the Holten (Netherlands) and Tiszaujvaros (Hungary) World Cup events and a number of domestic races in Italy and France,” and furthermore added, “Moreover depending on a race results, a number of the Young Gun athletes may also be in contention for starts in the ITU Dextro Energy World Championship series races in Hamburg, London or Kitzbubel.”

The Young Guns program opened an avenue for identification and development of promising triathletes and provided access to international events according to Redman. “The Young Guns tour takes athletes to Europe where they are exposed to international long haul travel, foreign languages and diet, competition against some of the best under 23 and senior athletes in the world, and the challenge of living out of a suitcase,” and added that, “The opportunity shows them what it is like to be a high performance triathletes and, importantly, what it takes to be an elite triathletes.”